Refrigerator



J. E. HAWKINS.

REFRIGERATOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG-8, ISIS.

Patent ed Jan20, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I- J. E. HAWKINS.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-8. 1919.

Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J. E. Hay {'01s To all whom it concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. HAWKINS, 01 GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA.

REFRIGERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented'Jan, 20, 1920,.

Application flldAugust 8,1919. Serial no. 316,113.

Be it known that I, JAMES E. HAWKINS, a; citizen of the United Glendale,-in the county of Los Angeles and State of California,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigera--.

tors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of make and use the same.

the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to -The present invention relates to a fefrigerator or food-storage compartment, and aims to provid such a device of novel and.

improved construction, using moisture to maintain low atmospheric temperature without the use of ice. w

The object of the invention is the provision of novel and improved means for supplying moisture over the top and down the.

exterior of the food-compartment, so as to maintain a comparatively low temperature,

without using ice, and providing an efficient, sanitary and insect proof means for preserving perishable foods during hot weather.

A further object-is the provision of such 1 -a refrigerator providing for. a free circulation of air into and out of and within the refrigerator, to keep the contents cool and wholesome. With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the descrip-' tion proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arran ement of parts hereinafter described an claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

- frigerator.

' refrigerator 5O The invention is illustrated; in the accompanying drawings, wherein 2 Figure 1 is a perspectiveview' of the rematerial. The side walls .2 are provided with relatively large openings 3 therein to States, residing at.

I provide for the circulation of air therethrough, and said walls are provided on the inner surfaces. thereof with horizontal cleats t extending across said openings 3 and serving as seats or supports for the shelves 5 which are placed between said walls. Said Walls 1 have flanges 6 extending from their vertical edges to retain the ends of the shelves 5' between them, and the walls 1 are preferably provided with an integral bottom shelf 5. The shelves arepreferably provided with slots or openings for circulation of air therethrough, and the front and rear of the refrigerator are open, while the sidewalls have'the openings 3, thereby ermitting of free circulation of air into and out of. the food compartment within the rack or frame.

The rack or frame is preferably seated within a pan 7 in which the water is caught, to assist in keeping the 'foodstuff'cool.

A fabric covering is provided over the rack or frame, being composed of two sheets 8 of suitable absorbent material, crossing one another, with their. intermediate portions secured together in any suitable manner, so that the covering when laid out flat is in the form of an X, the arms thereof providing aprons 9, so thatwhen the intermediate portions of the sheets are placed on the top 2 of the rack, the aprons 9 hang down the walls of the-' 'rack, and inclose the food compartment, permitting air to pass through the curtains, andthe curtains being readily raised for inserting or removing articles.-

- The crossing portions of the sheets 8 are secured together; as' at 10, providing -a pocket 11 having its mouth opening at one edge of the uppermost sheet 8, to receive the plate 12 of metal concrete, or other suitable materiaL- In order to supply the moisture,

abottleor other receptacle 13 for holding water is placed in aninverted position on the pocket '11 over the plate 12. In appl mg the covering and receptacle to t e water in an upright position, and the covering then placed in an inverted position over the receptacle, with the plate 12 assing over the mouth of the rece tacle. is enables the receptacle to be mverted and the coveringto be placed-over the rack with the receptacle, thereby preventing the spilling ofthe water.

In use, the water will-see from the receptacle into the upper portion of the fabframe, the receptacle is first filled with v ric covering, and will ass by capillary attraction and gravity own the curtains 8,

so as to inclose the food compartment in afilm of moisture, through which the air can circulate to keep the air within the refrigerator at a low temperature, the'device being preferably placed within a shady airy location.' By theeprovision of the plates 12 within the pocket 11 over which the inverted water receptacle is placed, this will control the flow of water from the ,receptacle, so as to avoid the excessive flow of Water.

Thus, said plate extends across the mouthof the receptacle so as to retard-the flow of water, and the upper sheet 8 is pressed underneath the rim of the receptacle against the plate 12, permitting the water to seep from the receptacle underneath the rim thereof over ering moist, but without excess moisture or waste of water, so that the frequent fillingon the top thereof, said covering having depending side curtains, and an inverted water receptacle having its mouth lowermost and its edgeresting on said covering on the top of the frame in order that the water is'compelled to seep under the lower edge of the receptacle.

2. A refrigerator embodying a frame, a porous covering over the frame resting on the top thereof and having dependmg side th late 12, to keep th curtains, an inverted water receptacle having its edge lowermost and bearing on said covering on the top of the frame,- and a plate assembled with the covering and disposed under said receptacle, said plate providing means for holding the covering over the moutlrof the receptacle when the receptacle 1s applled' to and removed from the frame. p

3-. Arefrigerator embodying a frame, a porous. covering thereon having depending side curtains and a plurality of sheets at the top, a plate disposed between said sheets,

and an inverted water receptacleto bear on said covering over said plate.

4. A refrigerator embodying a frame, a

fporouscovermg thereon having depending side curtains, and a. pocket above the frame, a plate insertlble in said pocket, and an inverted water receptacle to bear on said pocket over said plate.

. 5. A refrigerator embodying a frame,

' two sheets of porous material crossing one another to bear' on the frame and provide depending side curtains, the crossing portions of the sheets being secured together to form a pocket opening at the edge of one sheet, a water receptacle to be placed on said pocket in an inverted position, anda water-controlling plate inserti'ble 'in said pocket to facilitate the inverting of the receptacle and to control the flow of water therefrom to the curtains.

In testimony whereof I have signed'my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES HAWKINS.

. Witnesses.

ARLIE F. HAWKINS, LEON B. STERN. 

